Gaming system monitoring client terminals with hybrid reel assemblies

ABSTRACT

In a thin-client gaming system according to the present invention, a server performs computations for the control over a game on a gaming machine, and hardware thereof including hybrid reel assemblies. Each hybrid reel assembly includes a mechanical reel and electric display devices mounted on the circumferential surface of the reel. The server commands the display devices and motors of the hybrid reel assemblies, and provides image data to the display devices. By using a terminal observer unit, the server estimates the current status of the gaming terminal, and in particular the hybrid reel assemblies. Preferably, when having estimated excessive deviation between the positions of the reels and symbols displayed on the display devices, the terminal observer unit will quickly cause a game process to be stopped and the reels to continuously rotate, and then inform a game system administrator of the error.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gaming system comprising gamingterminals and a server that is installed in a casino or the like.

2. Background Information

Gaming machines such as slot machines, poker machines, fruit machines,and the like generally attract enormous popularity from players incasinos. Such a gaming machine displays an arrangement of symbols on thefront thereof, and changes the types of symbols in the arrangement atrandom. A player guesses which line of the arrangement (i.e., payline) aspecific combination of symbols (i.e., winning combination) will appear,and places a bet on the payline before the symbols are changed in thearrangement. If a winning combination appears on the payline wherehe/she has placed a bet, the player will win an amount of a payout thatdepends on the amount of the bet and the type of the winningcombination.

This type of gaming machine is generally equipped with mechanical reelsthat are coaxially arranged and allowed to independently spin byrespective motors. Symbols are permanently displayed on thecircumferential surfaces on each reel in a predetermined order. Thereels repeat spins and stops, and thereby change the visible symbols.Alternatively, this type of gaming machine may be equipped with anelectric display device, and symbols are arranged in graphic form (i.e.,video reel) on a screen of the electric display device.

There is a prior art gaming machine equipped with improved reelassemblies (hereinafter, hybrid reel assemblies) that have both themerits of mechanical and video reels (cf. U.S. Published PatentApplications Nos. 2003/0060269, 2003/0220134, 2006/0100013, and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/419,204). Each of the hybrid reelassemblies comprises a mechanical reel, and one or more electric displaydevices that are mounted on the circumferential surface on themechanical reel. Symbols are displayed in graphic form on a screen ofthe electric display device. Hybrid reel assemblies retain the realthree-dimensional motion of symbols caused by the rotation of themechanical reel. This three-dimensional motion causes many players toprefer mechanical reels to video reels. On the other hand, hybrid reelassemblies can easily change symbols depending on the status or type ofgames, since the change in symbols require only updates of image dataused by the electric display devices. This facilitates model changes forgaming machines and brilliant visual effects in games without thereplacement of portions of the mechanical reels. In addition, hybridreel assemblies can freely expand the range of odds in games, since thesizes of the mechanical reels do not limit the number of symbols perreel. Accordingly, hybrid reel assemblies are especially suitable foruse in gaming machines placed in arcades and casinos.

In most casinos and the like, many gaming machines are connected to oneor more management servers, which monitor and control the states of thegaming machines collectively. Accordingly, it is desirable that themanagement server can control hybrid reel assemblies installed in thegaming machines, and in particular update image data of symbols to beused by electric display devices mounted on mechanical reels. On theother hand, hybrid reel assemblies require highly accurate performancein both the mechanical reels and the electric display devices installedtherein under severe stresses caused by the spinning of the reels. Inparticular, the consistency between positions of the reels and symbolsdisplayed on the display devices must be maintained with highreliability, like conventional mechanical reels with symbols permanentlyfixed on the circumferential surfaces thereof. Accordingly, it is alsodesirable that the management server can monitor the states of thegaming machines, in particular, the states of hybrid reel assembliesinstalled therein.

In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artfrom this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved gamingsystem in which each gaming machine comprises hybrid reel assemblies,and the gaming system can ensure highly accurate performance in themechanical reels and electric display devices installed thereon. Thisinvention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, whichwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A gaming system according to the present invention comprises a gamingterminal and a server configured to communicate with each other.

The gaming terminal comprises a console unit, a plurality of hybrid reelassemblies, and a terminal communications unit. The console unit isconfigured to accept data identifying a game program selected by aplayer and an instruction from a player to change the status of a gameconducted by the selected game program. The hybrid reel assemblies arecoaxially arranged, and each comprises a mechanical reel, a motor, andan electric display device. The motor is configured to rotate themechanical reel under control of the server. The electric display deviceis mounted on the circumferential surface of the mechanical reel, andconfigured to reproduce an image under control of the server. Theterminal communications unit is configured to transmit a request for agame program selected by a player, an instruction from a player tochange the game status, and data indicating the current position of themechanical reel to the server. The terminal communications unit is alsoconfigured to receive commands for the motor and the electric displaydevice, and image data to be used by the electric display device fromthe server.

The server comprises a server communications unit, a memory unit, a gamecontroller unit, a reel controller unit, a display controller unit, anda terminal observer unit. The server communications unit is configuredto receive a request for a game program, an instruction to change thegame status, and data indicating the current position of the mechanicalreel, from the gaming terminal. The server communications unit is alsoconfigured to transmit commands for the motor and the electric displaydevice, and image data to be used by the electric display device to thegaming terminal. The memory unit is configured to store a plurality ofgame programs. The game controller unit is configured to invoke a gameprogram identified by the request from the memory unit, change the gamestatus in response to instruction, and generate image data to be used bythe electric display device depending on the game status. The reelcontroller unit is configured to generate a command for the motor tocontrol the rotation of the mechanical reel depending on the currentposition thereof. The display controller unit is configured to generatea command for the electric display device to control an image to bereproduced thereon depending on the game status. The terminal observerunit is configured to estimate the state of the gaming terminal on thebasis of the game status, the command and the image data for theelectric display device, the command for the motor, and the currentposition of the mechanical reel.

This gaming system is of a thin-client type where, in particular, theserver performs computations for control over the hybrid reel assembliesof the gaming terminal. More specifically, the server generates imagedata to be displayed on the electric display devices of the hybrid reelassemblies, and commands the electric display devices and the motors ofthe hybrid reel assemblies. The gaming terminal reproduces the imagedata on the electric display devices and rotates the mechanical reels bymeans of the motors in accordance with commands. In this case, by usingthe terminal observer unit, the server can easily estimate the currentstatus of the gaming terminals, in particular the hybrid reel assembliesthereof. Accordingly, the server can keep track of the state of thehybrid reel assemblies without any feedback except for the current reelpositions from the gaming terminal. Preferably, when the terminalobserver unit has estimated excessive deviation between positions of themechanical reels and symbols displayed on the electric display devices,the terminal observer unit will quickly cause the game controller unitto stop a game process and the reel controller unit to continue rotatingthe reels without stopping any position, and then inform anadministrator of the error. Thus, the server can quickly and accuratelycontrol the hybrid reel assemblies through communications, and thereforeensure highly accurate performance of the hybrid reel assemblies, inparticular, highly reliable consistency between the positions of thereels and symbols displayed on the display devices.

The gaming system preferably comprises a monitoring terminal configuredto visualize the states of the gaming terminal estimated by the terminalobserver unit, preferably in real time. In this case, developers andadministrators of the gaming system can construct and manage the gamingsystem more easily by using the monitoring terminal.

Either the reel controller unit or the display controller unit mayadjust the relationship in positions between the mechanical reels andsymbols displayed on the electric display devices, especially in aninitialization at the start of a new game or each round of a game.Preferably, the reel controller unit is further configured to controlthe rotation of the mechanical reel depending on the game status as wellas the position of the mechanical reel. In particular, the reelcontroller unit adjusts the position of the reel to match with theposition of the symbol displayed on the display device to be visiblefrom a player side. Conversely, the display controller unit may befurther configured to control an image to be reproduced on the electricdisplay device, depending on the position of the mechanical reel as wellas the game status. In particular, the display controller unit adjuststhe position of the symbols displayed on the display device to matchwith the position of the reel surface to be visible from the playerside. In either case, the highly reliable consistency between positionsof the reels and the symbols can be maintained.

Preferably, the display controller unit is further configured to turnoff or reduce the brightness of a portion of or the entire electricdisplay device that is located at an invisible position. This can reducethe power requirements for the hybrid reel assembly, and prevent theelectric display device from damaging its screen due to static symbolimages (e.g., burn-in on CRTs, image persistence on LCDs) andoverheating.

Preferably, the display controller unit is further configured to causethe electric display device to reproduce a specific image that moves onthe circumferential surface of the mechanical reel in the reversedirection of the rotation of the mechanical reel, and thereby cause aplayer to see the specific image remaining stationary or moving freelyindependent of the rotation of the mechanical reel. This enables thedevice to freely display various types of stationary and moving images(e.g., a foreground and a background of symbols, lines indicatingpaylines, a credit meter, etc.) on the screen of the display device,independent of the rotation of the reel. This may eliminate otherdisplay devices other than those mounted on the reels from the gamingterminal, and in addition facilitate the management of the server withrespect to image data to be used by the gaming terminal.

These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with theannexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of thisoriginal disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a network diagram of a gaming system according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view that shows the appearance of a gamingterminal shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram that shows the configuration of hybridreel assemblies according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the gaming terminal shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the server shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic cross-sectional views of a reel and afront panel of the gaming terminal shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are schematic diagrams that each show a game screenvisible through display windows of the gaming terminal shown in FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Selected embodiments of the present invention will now be explained withreference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in theart from this disclosure that the following descriptions of theembodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration onlyand not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by theappended claims and their equivalents.

A gaming system according to an embodiment of the present invention ispreferably installed in a casino where, as shown in FIG. 1, a pluralityof gaming terminals 10 are placed on floors and connected to a server30, which is preferably placed in a security room off-limits to players,through a LAN 20. This gaming system is preferably of a thin-clienttype. The server 30 executes game programs and performs computations forcontrol over the gaming terminal 10. The gaming terminal 10 simplyoperates its own hardware under the control of the server 30, and servesas an interface between a player and the server 30, e.g., displays agame screen, produces visual and sound effects, receives and pays coinsaccording to data and commands received from the server 30, andtransmits requests and instructions accepted from a player to the server30.

A gaming terminal 10 is preferably a stepper-reel slot machine as shownin FIG. 2. The components of this slot machine visible from the exteriorinclude a cabinet 1, lamps 2, three sub-display units 3A, 3B, 3C, hybridreel assemblies 5, a touch panel 6A, operation buttons 6B, a spin button6C, a coin/bill slot 7, a coin chute 8A, and a coin tray 8B. Thecomponents of this slot machine mounted inside the cabinet 1 andinvisible from the exterior include a terminal communications unit 101,a coin counter 103, a coin acceptor 104, a coin hopper 105, a consoleunit 106, and a speaker 107, as shown in FIG. 4.

The lamps 2 are illumination lights mainly for use in decoration andvisual effects in games; they can blink and/or change brightness andcolor in specific patterns. The lamps 2 may be mounted on, for example,the top of the cabinet 1, as shown in FIG. 2, and in addition, thefront, sides, and rear of the cabinet 1.

The three sub-display units 3A, 3B, and 3C each receive external imagedata, and reproduce images which correspond to the image data. Theimages include, for example, images for use in decoration, such as theimage of a logo of a game developer, images for use in advertisements,images for use in visual effects in games and the display of informationabout games, such as pay tables, illustrations of game content, theamount of a bet, the number of credits available, and a jackpot meter.

The display window 4 is comprised of a plurality of holes provided infront of the cabinet 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Each hole is preferablycovered with glass. The circumferential surface of a mechanical reel ofthe hybrid reel assembly 5 is visible through each display window 4 fromthe front (player's side) of the cabinet 1. In FIG. 2, the five hybridreel assemblies 5 are coaxially arranged.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the hybrid reel assemblies 5 comprises amechanical reel 51, a motor assembly 52, an electric display device 53,a display driver unit 55, and a wireless communications unit 56.

The reel 51 is a cylindrical-shaped member rotatable around its centeraxis. The motor assembly 52 preferably comprises a steeping motor and areel position sensor (not shown in figures). The stepping motor iscoupled to the center axis of the reel 51, and rotates the reel 51around the center axis under the control of a reel controller unit 31 ofthe server 30 (detail will be described below). The reel position sensoris preferably an encoder coupled to the stepping motor or the reel 51.The reel position sensor monitors a current position (i.e., rotationangle) of the reel 51, and feeds the server 30 with the currentposition.

The electric display device 53 is preferably a flexible liquid-crystaldisplay device (LCD), or alternatively, a flexible organicelectroluminescent display device (OLED), a matrix of light emittingdiodes (LEDs), or a piece of electronic paper. One or more of thedisplay devices 53 are mounted on the circumferential surface of thereel 51, and configured to reproduce images, in particular symbolgraphics 54, to be visible through the display window 4 (cf. FIG. 2).The display driver unit 55 is preferably mounted on the inner surface ofthe reel 51, and the wireless communications unit 56 is placed on thecabinet 1, preferably in the vicinity of the circumferential surface ofthe reel 51. The display driver unit 55 uses a built-in wirelessinterface in wireless communication with the wireless communicationsunit 56, and thereby performs two-way communication with the displaycontrol unit 32 of the server 30 through the wireless communicationsunit 56. Here, the wireless interfaces are preferably based on theISO/IEC 14443 standard (the international standard for contactless ICcards), or alternatively, Bluetooth™, UWB (ultra wideband wirelesscommunications), wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11x), or IrDA (infrared-raycommunications). On the other hand, the display driver unit 55 ispreferably supplied with power from an external power source through aslip ring mounted on the axis of the reel 51. Note that thecommunication between the display driver unit 55 and the display controlunit 32 of the server 30 may be also performed through the slip ring,instead of the wireless communications unit 56. The display driver unit55 thus receive image data from the display control unit 32, and causesthe display device 53 to reproduce image data at a proper position onthe screen under the control of the display controller unit 32 (detailswill be described below). The image data represents, in particular, apredetermined line of symbols 54. Accordingly, the line of symbols 54 isdisplayed on the circumferential surface of the reel 51 (cf. FIG. 3).Different symbols 54 appear in the display window 4, depending on therotation angle of the reel 51 and the positions of the symbols 54 on thescreen of the display device 53.

In the case where the display device 53 is not of a self-emission type,such as LCD and electric paper, an external lighting device (e.g.,fluorescent lamp or LED) is preferably placed in the vicinity or theinside of the reel 51 (not shown in figures), and brightly illuminatesthe front of the circumferential surface of the reel 51.

The console unit 106 is connected to input devices such as the touchpanel 6A, the operation buttons 6B, and the spin button 6C (cf. FIG. 2),and accepts various kinds of instructions from a player through theinput devices. The instructions in particular include a request for agame program selected by a player and an instruction from a player tochange game status. The touch panel 6A preferably displays a keyboardimage and a numeric keypad image thereon, thereby allowing a player toenter characters and numerals. The operation buttons 6B and the spinbutton 6C are lamp buttons, which include LEDs and light up when pushed.A player uses the operation buttons 6B especially in order to enter abet. A player uses the spin button 8 in order to cue the reels 51 forthe start of spin.

A player enters coins and bills into the coin/bill slot 7. The coincounter 103 counts the coins and bills. The coin acceptor 104 validatesthe coins and bills. The total amount of the validated coins and billsare displayed, for example, on the middle sub-display unit 3B as creditsavailable to the player. The coin hopper 105 holds a large number ofcoins, and discharges the coins equivalent to the credits that theplayer has won on a game from the coin chute 8A into the coin tray 8B.The speaker 121 is installed inside the cabinet 1, and generates voiceannouncements and sound effects under the control of the server 30.

The terminal communications unit 101 preferably includes a CPU, a ROM, aRAM, and a network interface for the LAN 20, and controls theabove-described components installed on the slot machine 10 undercommands received from the server 30 through the LAN 20. Note that theterminal communications unit 101 does not compute any control dataindependent of the server 30. More specifically, the terminalcommunications unit 101 simply decodes and relays commands from theserver 30 to each of the components, in particular, commands for themotor assembly 52 and the display driver unit 55 (or the display device53) and image data to be used by the display device 53. In addition, theterminal communications unit 101 simply transmits requests and responsesfrom the components to the server 30, e.g., a request for a game programselection, an instruction to change game status, and data indicatingcurrent positions of the reels 51.

The server 30 is preferably a single computer, or alternatively a groupof computers that are linked to each other and serve separate functionsthrough a network. As shown in FIG. 5, the server 30 comprises a reelcontroller unit 31, a display controller unit 32, a servercommunications unit 33, a game controller unit 34, a memory unit 35, anda terminal observer unit 36. These components are preferably constructedby collaboration between a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and other peripheraldevices according to respective programs executed by the CPU. Thesecomponents exchange data and commands with each other through internalbuses, and with the gaming terminal 10 through the server communicationsunit 33 and the LAN 20. The reel controller unit 31, the displaycontroller unit 32, and the game controller unit 34 constitute a virtualgaming machine, i.e., control the hardware of the gaming terminal 10remotely through the server communications unit 33 and the LAN 20.

The reel controller unit 31 generates commands for the motor assembly 52of the hybrid reel assembly 5 in the gaming terminal 10 in order tocause the stepping motor to rotate the reel 51 depending on game status.The reel controller unit 31 preferably monitors the actual position androtation speed of the reel 51 of the gaming terminal 10 through the reelposition sensor of the motor assembly 52, and thereby uses the currentposition of the reel 51 in a feedback control over the stepping motorand the reel 51.

The display controller unit 32 generates commands for and image data tobe used by the display devices 53 (i.e., the display driver unit 55) ofthe hybrid reel assembly 5 as well as the sub-display units 3A, 3B, and3C. The display controller unit 32 thereby controls images to bereproduced on the display devices 53 (in particular, symbols 54)depending on game status.

Here, either the reel controller unit 31 or the display controller unit32 may adjust the relationship in positions between the reel 51 and thesymbols 54 displayed on the display devices 53, especially in aninitialization at the start of a new game or each round of a game.Preferably, the reel controller unit 31 controls the rotation of thereel 51 depending on the game status as well as the current position ofthe reel 51. In particular, the reel controller unit 31 adjusts theposition of the reel 51 to match with the position of the symbol 54displayed on the display device 53 to be visible from a player side.Conversely, the display controller unit 32 may control images to bereproduced on the display device 53 depending on the position of thereel 51 as well as the game status. In particular, the displaycontroller unit 32 adjusts the position of the symbols 54 to match withthe position of the reel surface to be visible from the player side. Ineither case, the highly reliable consistency between positions of thereel 51 and the symbols 54 can be maintained.

The server communications unit 33 preferably includes a networkinterface for the LAN 20, and uses it to receive a request for a gameprogram, an instruction to change game status, and data indicating acurrent position of the reel 51 from the gaming terminal 10, andtransmit commands for the motor assembly 52 and the display devices 53and image data to be used by the display devices 53 to the gamingterminal 10.

The memory unit 35 preferably stores a plurality of game programs 35A,35B, 35C, 35D, . . . , which allows the selective playing of variousgames on the gaming terminal 10. In the case where the five reels 51 areinstalled in the gaming terminal 10 as shown in FIG. 2, the memory unit35 may store slot game programs using three or four of the reels with orwithout an additional bonus reel, in addition to standard slot gamesusing all the five reels.

The game controller unit 34 receives a request for a game program fromthe gaming terminal 10 through the server communications unit 33 and theLAN 20, and then invokes the game program identified by the request fromthe memory unit 35. After that, the game controller unit 34 conducts aslot game on the gaming terminal 10 according to the executed gameprogram as follows.

First, the game controller unit 34 causes the display controller unit 32to display symbols 54 linked to the slot game on the display devices 53,and produce visual effects for use in the slot game by the displaydevices 53, the sub-display units 3A, 3B, 3C, and the like. Next, when aplayer inserts coins or bills into the coin/bill slot 7, the gamecontroller unit 34 increases credits of the player by the count of thecoin counter 103. The player places a desired bet by using the touchpanel 6A and the buttons 6B. The game controller unit 34 then decreasesthe credits by the amount of the bet accepted by the console unit 106.Here, the game controller unit 34 causes the display controller unit 32to display the amounts of the bet and the credits and the selectedpaylines on the display devices 53 or the sub-display unit 3A, 3B, 3C.When the player pushes the spin button 6D, the game controller unit 34detects the push through the console unit 106, and causes the reelcontroller unit 31 to command the motor assembly 52 to spin the three,four, or five reels 51. In parallel to that, the game controller unit 34randomly determines symbols 54 to be displayed at the visible positionson the reels 51 when they will be stopped. Furthermore, the gamecontroller unit 34 determines whether or not to provide an award to theplayer based on the arrangements of symbols on the stopped reels 51 withor without a winning combination of symbols. After a predeterminedamount of time has elapsed from the start of the spin, the gamecontroller unit 34 causes the reel controller unit 31 to stop the reels51 at the determined positions. If the player has won an amount of apayout, the game controller unit 34 increases the credits of the playerby the payout, or causes the coin hopper 105 to discharge the coinsequivalent to the payouts. In addition, the game controller unit 34provides the gaming terminal 10 with commands for controlling thelighting devices 2, 6A, 6B, 6C, and the speaker 107 and respectivevisual and audio data to be used thereby. The lighting devices are thenturned on and off in the patterns represented by the visual data. Thespeaker 107 changes sounds to reproduce the sound effects according tothe audio data. The game controller unit 34 also causes the displaycontroller unit 32 to produce visual and sound effects by using thedisplay devices 53 and the sub-display units 3A, 3B, and 3C.

The terminal observer unit 36 monitors the status of a game conducted bythe game controller unit 34, the current positions of the reels 51received and the commands for the motor assembly 52 transmitted by thereel controller unit 31, and the commands and image data for the displaydevices 53 transmitted by the display controller unit 32. The terminalobserver unit 36 then estimates the states of the gaming terminal 10 onthe basis of the game status, the commands, the image data, and thecurrent position of the reels 51. Here, the gaming system is of athin-client type where, in particular, the server 30 performscomputations for the control over the hybrid reel assemblies 5 of thegaming terminal 10 by using the reel controller unit 31, the displaycontroller unit 32, and the game controller unit 34. In this case, theterminal observer unit 36 can easily estimate the current status of thegaming terminal 10, in particular the hybrid reel assemblies 5 thereof.Accordingly, the server 30 can keep track of the states of the hybridreel assemblies 5 without any feedback (except for the current reelpositions of the reels 51) from the gaming terminal 10. Preferably, whenthe terminal observer unit 36 has estimated excessive deviations betweenpositions of the reels 51 and the symbols 54 displayed on the displaydevices 53, the terminal observer unit 36 will quickly cause the gamecontroller unit 34 to stop a game process and the reel controller unit31 to continue rotating the reels 51 without stopping any position, andthen inform an administrator of the error. Thus, the server 30 canquickly and accurately control the hybrid reel assemblies 5 throughcommunications, and therefore ensure highly accurate performance of thehybrid reel assemblies, in particular, highly reliable consistencybetween positions of the reels 51 and the symbols 54 displayed on thedisplay devices 53.

The monitoring terminal 37 is preferably a separate computer device thatwill be connected to the server 30 when required. Alternatively, themonitoring terminal 37 may be integrated into the server 30. Themonitoring terminal 37 visualizes the states of the gaming terminal 10estimated by the terminal observer unit 36, preferably in real time. Inthis case, the developers and administrators of the gaming system canconstruct and manage the gaming system more easily by using themonitoring terminal 37.

Preferably, the display controller unit 32 further causes the displaydriver unit 55 to turn off or reduce the brightness of a portion of orall of the display device 53 that is located at an invisible position.More specifically, the circumferential surface of the reel 51 aredivided into a visible region R1 and an invisible region R2 from aplayer's position through the display window 4 at the front of thecabinet 1 of the gaming terminal 10, as shown in FIG. 6A. Here, theboundaries between the two regions R1 and R2 are preferably set at orbehind points P1 and P2, where circumferential tangents to the reel 51passing through the edges W1 and W2 of the display window 4 touches thecircumferential surface of the reel 51, respectively (in FIG. 6A, apoint C represents the center axis of the reel 51). When a singledisplay device 53 is wrapped around the entire circumferential surfaceof the reel 51 as shown in FIG. 6A, the display controller unit 32 willturn off or reduce the brightness of the portion of the display device53 that is located in the invisible region R2 (cf. the hatched regionshown in FIG. 6A). When the four display devices 53A, 53B, 53C, and 53Dare separately covered over the circumferential surface of the reel 51as shown in FIG. 6B, the display controller unit 32 turns off or reducesthe brightness of the two display devices 53C and 53D that are locatedin the invisible region R2 (cf. the hatched region shown in FIG. 6B).Thus, the power requirements for the hybrid reel assembly 5 can bereduced, and the display device 53 will be prevented from damaging itsscreen due to static symbol images (e.g., burn-in on CRTs, imagepersistence on LCDs) and overheating.

Preferably, the display controller unit 32 further causes the displaydevice 53 to reproduce a specific image that moves on thecircumferential surface of the reel 51 in the reverse direction of therotation thereof, and thereby cause a player to see the specific imageremaining stationary or moving freely independent of the rotation of thereel 51. Here, the specific image may be of various types. In FIG. 7A,line tags T (which are assigned to selectable paylines) and selectedpaylines L1 and L2 are displayed on the visible surfaces of the threereels 51A, 51B, and 51C, and serve as the background of the symbols 54(hatched portions shown in FIG. 7A). The symbols 54 move in the verticaldirection caused by the rotation of the reels 51A, 51B, and 51C. On theother hands, the line tags T and the selected paylines L1 and L2 seem toremain at rest while the symbols 54 are moving in the verticaldirection. In FIG. 7B, four information regions D1, D2, D3, D4, and twobanner images F1 and F2 are displayed on the visible surfaces of thethree reels 51A, 51B, and 51C, and serve as the foreground of thesymbols 54 (hatched portions shown in FIG. 7B). Information about thegame status, e.g., the number of available credits, the amount of a betplaced on a game, the round number of a game, and the amount of thedenomination of a game, is displayed on the four information regions D1,D2, D3, and D4, respectively. The four information regions D1, D2, D3,and D4 seem to remain at rest while the symbols 54 are moving in thevertical direction. In FIG. 7C, three images B1, B2, and B3 aredisplayed on the visible surfaces of the three reels 51A, 51B, and 51C,and serve as the foreground and background of the symbols 54 (hatchedportions shown in FIG. 7C). The images B1, B2, and B3 are displayed andproduce a visual effect during a bonus round. For example, the two sideimages B1 and B3 hide symbols 54 at the upper and lower portions of theside reels 51A and 51C. The letter images B2 represent that a bonusround is proceeding. The images B1, B2, and B3 seem to remain at rest ormove freely while the symbols 54 are moving in the vertical direction.The display of these foreground and background of the symbols 54 on thedisplay devices 53 mounted on the reels 51 may eliminate other displaydevices (e.g., the three sub-display units 3A, 3B, and 3C shown in FIG.2) from the gaming terminal 10. In addition, the integration of thedisplay function of the gaming terminal 10 into the display devices 53facilitates the management of the server 30 with respect to image datato be used by the gaming terminal 10, e.g., it is able to quickly andeasily update image data in a game or a model change of the gamingterminal 10.

General Interpretation of Terms

In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term“configured” as used herein to describe a component, section or part ofa device includes hardware and/or software that is constructed and/orprogrammed to carry out the desired function. In understanding the scopeof the present invention, the term “comprising” and its derivatives, asused herein, are intended to be open ended terms that specify thepresence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, integers,and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other unstatedfeatures, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps. Theforegoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as theterms, “including”, “having” and their derivatives. Also, the terms“part,” “section,” “portion,” “member” or “element” when used in thesingular can have the dual meaning of a single part or a plurality ofparts. Finally, terms of degree such as “substantially”, “about” and“approximately” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation ofthe modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed.For example, these terms can be construed as including a deviation of atleast ±5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate themeaning of the word it modifies.

While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate thepresent invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art fromthis disclosure that various changes and modifications can be madeherein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims. Furthermore, the foregoing descriptions of theembodiments according to the present invention are provided forillustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention asdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A gaming system comprising a gaming terminal and a server configuredto communicate with each other, the gaming terminal comprising: aconsole unit configured to accept data identifying a game programselected by a player and an instruction from a player to change thestatus of a game conducted by the selected game program; a plurality ofhybrid reel assemblies coaxially arranged and each comprising amechanical reel, a motor configured to rotate the mechanical reel underthe control of the server, and an electric display device mounted on thecircumferential surface of the mechanical reel and configured toreproduce an image under the control of the server; and a terminalcommunications unit configured to transmit a request for a game programselected by a player, an instruction from a player to change gamestatus, and data indicating a current position of the mechanical reel tothe server, and receive commands for the motor and the electric displaydevice and image data to be used by the electric display device from theserver; and the server comprising: a server communications unitconfigured to receive a request for a game program, an instruction tochange game status, and data indicating a current position of themechanical reel from the gaming terminal, and transmit commands for themotor and the electric display device and image data to be used by theelectric display device to the gaming terminal; a memory unit configuredto store a plurality of game programs; a game controller unit configuredto invoke a game program identified by the request from the memory unit,change game status in response to the instruction, and generate imagedata to be used by the electric display device depending on the gamestatus; a reel controller unit configured to generate a command for themotor to control the rotation of the mechanical reel depending on thecurrent position thereof; a display controller unit configured togenerate a command for the electric display device to control an imageto be reproduced thereon depending on the game status; and a terminalobserver unit configured to estimate the state of the gaming terminal onthe basis of the game status, the command and the image data for theelectric display device, the command for the motor, and the currentposition of the mechanical reel.
 2. A gaming system according to claim1, further comprising a monitoring terminal configured to visualize thestate of the gaming terminal estimated by the terminal observer unit. 3.A gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the reel controller unitis further configured to control the rotation of the mechanical reeldepending on the game status as well as the position of the mechanicalreel.
 4. A gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the displaycontroller unit is further configured to control an image to bereproduced on the electric display device depending on the position ofthe mechanical reel as well as the game status.
 5. A gaming systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the display controller unit is furtherconfigured to turn off or reduce the brightness of a portion of or allof the electric display device that is located in an invisible position.6. A gaming system according to claim 1, wherein the display controllerunit is further configured to cause the electric display device toreproduce a specific image that moves on the circumferential surface ofthe mechanical reel in the reverse direction of the rotation of themechanical reel, and thereby cause a player to see the specific imageremaining stationary or moving freely independent of the rotation of themechanical reel.